An over-simplified view of our profession will have you believe that a translation is the mechanistic rendering of the source text into the target language, as if the human element barely matters at all. You pour text in, text gets spouted back out, how hard can it be, right? After all, we've already got machines … Continue reading Why You Should Choose Your Translator Carefully
Category: Brand management
The Key to Leadership Communication
Spoiler alert: it's the pronoun "we" (or "us"). But how do we turn it into a livable reality? When discussing leadership communication, plenty of texts and materials out there will have you believe that it has everything to do with a leader’s personal qualities (such as charisma and interpersonal skills), their professional ability (competence, reliability, … Continue reading The Key to Leadership Communication
My Interview with RFI Romania
A few days ago, I was interviewed by Otilia Ghitescu from RFI Romania about our travel guide TIMISOARA23 and the European Capital of Culture 2023. You can read or listen (in Romanian), here: https://www.rfi.ro/cultura-152184-timisoara-2023-pregatita-sau-nu-de-turisti-multe-asteptari-si-un-ghid-cu-secrete Our stories about Timisoara and the Banat region, beautifully illustrated by Claudia Tanasescu, can be ordered on Amazon, in paperback or … Continue reading My Interview with RFI Romania
Happy holidays!
Just a quick line to wish you all a happy and peaceful holiday season and to introduce you to my most recent project, a non-fiction book that uses storytelling to bring my hometown of Timisoara, Romania, European Capital of Culture 2023, closer to potential visitors. There's still time to order the paperback or download it … Continue reading Happy holidays!
On Nation Branding and Competitive Identity
"National reputation truly cannot be constructed; it can only be earned. Imagining that such a deeply rooted phenomenon can be shifted by so weak an instrument as marketing communications is an extravagant delusion. As Socrates observed, ‘the way to achieve a better reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear’." SIMON ANHOLT … Continue reading On Nation Branding and Competitive Identity
A Quick Guide to Romanian Culture – INTRODUCTION
Ah, culture!... That vague concept, so hard to pinpoint. What is it, really? Is it a concert? A book? A Picasso painting? Is it everything humans have ever created? Is it the opposite of nature? For the purposes of this blog, CULTURE is the shared worldview, mindset, and behaviors of a particular community of human … Continue reading A Quick Guide to Romanian Culture – INTRODUCTION
5 Reasons the Romanian anti-Covid campaign failed – A quick communications audit
As someone who's been plagued by chronic respiratory ailments, and an emigrée with very strong ties to the motherland, I have kept a close eye on the Romanian anti-Covid vaccination campaign. My feelings about it went from the initial awe at the exceptional logistical organization with its fast and effective roll-out, to downright dismay when, … Continue reading 5 Reasons the Romanian anti-Covid campaign failed – A quick communications audit
Brand Religion? Try Culture First
According to anthropologists (like C. Geertz in his seminal work The Interpretation of Cultures), religion is the most important product of culture. It is a comprehensive worldview that purports to give its devotees access to "the real reality" and help them transcend; it also norms behavior and puts forward a clear roadmap for decision-making. In … Continue reading Brand Religion? Try Culture First
Need to Communicate Change? 5 Key Ingredients To Consider
In our lives, change is inevitable. It's always on the prowl, in the background, hiding behind an illusion of stability and safety. When 'black swan' events such as the Covid-19 crisis occur, companies are forced to implement changes to their work environments and their business model at the drop of a hat. But how to … Continue reading Need to Communicate Change? 5 Key Ingredients To Consider
How to Tell a Good Brand Story
Storytelling is central to marketing - and it's the main way we make sense of the world. Here are a few tips for putting words to work and crafting compelling narratives. Nowadays brands - like people - have personalities. They become friends, companions and - occasionally - bogeymen. Marketing is a bit like matchmaking, followed by … Continue reading How to Tell a Good Brand Story